Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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We can look abroad and find many examples. Mr. Tobin referred to the opportunity that exists here. That opportunity exists because of inaction. There are huge opportunities because we are so far behind. The extent to which we have slipped behind on this is worrying. When we look to Scotland, Sweden and other countries, we can see they are so far ahead that it makes you wonder what caused that. There is much chat from the Government on this matter but there really has not been much by way of action. We visited Belfast, which can do it - we know that is an established fact - and we know that Scotland can do it, but every time we seem to discuss this, it is all plans but no delivery, unfortunately.

I will move on because my time is short. I want to talk about the skill mix and the pipeline of talent that we need in order to develop this industry. The Department report on the strategy states:

Significant further work is required to identify the full range of skills and workforce requirements for the development of offshore wind, and to establish a sustainable workforce and skills pipeline.

Again, the report points up all of the ways in which the Government has let this issue drift, particularly if we are only at the stage whereby further work is required to identify the full range of skills. Can the Department give us an update on how that work is progressing? The report also states that up to 5,000 jobs can be created in the offshore wind sector by 2030. We do not have the skills currently and we would have to hope that through the third level sector and industry, we can build the domestic skills base. Will Mr. Tobin give us an update on that work, given it is another area where we are running to catch up with the rest of the world?